This invention relates to an outside handle assembly of an automobile.
JP-Y-03-047085 discloses a door so constructed as not to open inadvertently by an impact arising from collision on an automobile body. According to JP-Y-03-047085, the door is provided with a locking mechanism for keeping the door in its closed state and a knob which is operable from the outside of the automobile.
The locking mechanism has a release lever for releasing the locking mechanism by a push-down action, the knob and the release lever are connected by a rod linkage and a protrusion projecting from the door is positioned in the vicinity of the rod linkage. The connection of the rod linkage and the release lever is made by inserting the lower end of the rod linkage in a slit formed in the release lever.
The slit is open toward the inside of the automobile body and upon deformation of the door by collision, the rod linkage is disengaged from the release lever as it is pushed toward the inside of the automobile body by the protrusion and leaves the slit of the release lever, whereafter the door can no longer be opened even if the knob is pressed. A rubber stop is positioned in the opening of the slit so that the swinging, etc. of the rod linkage during the traveling of the automobile, etc. may not cause its disengagement from the release lever.
However, since the protrusion is made to follow the deformation of the outer panel so as to actuate the rod linkage, in JP-Y-03-047085, the following problems are occurred.
That is, according to the example of JP-Y-03-047085, a release operation for the rod linkage takes place upon occurrence of deformation of the panel, irrespective of a position of the collision or the magnitude of the impact. Once the rod linkage is disengaged, the rubber stop restrains its re-engagement with the release lever, and even when their disengagement has resulted from such a degree of deformation as does not require a replacement of the door, its repair, etc., their re-engagement calls for an access to the interior of the door and its maintenance property is, therefore, very low.
It also has the drawback that, since a posture of the rod linkage at a point of its engagement with the release lever depends upon the weight of the rod linkage, a noise of collision is produced at the point of their engagement if the rod linkage swings or vibrates during the traveling of the automobile.